Shirley Naidoo, the hair and beauty Queen of KZN and beyond
A pioneer of Durban shares a bit about her 50 years in hairdressing...
If you are from Durban and you don't know Shirley Naidoo, the queen of hairdressing, then you must be living under a rock.
Shirley Naidoo has been in the hair and beauty industry for 50 years and has a decorated resume. As the founder of Hair Sensations, she has acquired international qualifications and recognition for her trade. She had been recognised globally for her contribution to her industry and is highly respected amongst her peers.
Her experience doesn't just cover creating amazing hairstyles but extends to connecting with people, bringing them together on common ground. Her mission is to leave this world in a better state.
She has an innate ability to make her clients feel like the most special and beautiful people in the world.
Naidoo has two branches, one located on Lilian Ngoyi Road, Windermere and the other at the old Game City, City View on Mathews Meyiwa Rd, Greyville.
Besides working on her day-to-day clientele, she has also worked on a variety of pageants. These include Miss South Africa, Miss India South Africa, as well as Miss India Worldwide; visiting places such as New York, Silicone Valley, Florida, New Jersey, Malaysia, New Zealand, Netherlands, Mumbai, and Dubai, to name a few.
Working on the set of 'The Kandasamys' is one of her best experiences. And she has also worked with an array of celebrities, both local and international, including Bollywood stars.
"I started my first job at a salon in Clairwood earning R60 a month. After a few years, I moved to Salon Monalisa. After 15 years I decided to branch out and opened up a salon in my home. Hair Sensation then found a home in Victoria Street in the early 80s," said Naidoo.
Thereafter she was invited to apply for a place at the Hilton Hotel and she became the first tenant at the prestigious hotel in 1998. She hopes to return to this location at the end of the year.
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Shirley Naidoo also shared a heartwarming story of how she helped couples get married in Tongaat. She loves hairdressing for her elderly clients, saying that the feeling she gets is so gratifying.
She also opened a salon in India in 2010 and has visited since then, making sure she gives the owners updated training and products to keep their business alive and thriving.
The list of things she has done and continues to do is like a bucket list of things to aspire to - and we are certainly proud to be celebrating her as our Woman Crush this week.
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